A Lost Memoir
by Changgirl
Summary: James Norrington writes from the grave about his life. An insight into his actions from a somewhat different POV. Reviews welcome!
1. A Brewing Storm

An Untold Memoir 

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything! **

**---**

_My name is James Norrington. Formerly Admiral to the East India Trading Company and presently, deceased. _

_Do not ask me how I am writing this, for that is not what I have come to explain. As I am sure you are aware, I was murdered aboard the Flying Dutchman, by William Turner's deranged father 'Bootstrap Bill' and it was there where I ceased to exist. You may think that I was just a pain in Elizabeth and William's side. A bitter and jealous ex-suitor. However, there are two sides to every story, and this is one that I feel is ready to be told. _

_Hold on tight my friend, sheath your sword and brace yourself. _

_There's a storm brewing. _


	2. The Start

W_here do I begin? _

_Looking back at everything that has happened I could pick thousands of places to start from. But for this tale, it only needs one. _

_The day I first saw Elizabeth._

If my memory serves me correctly, it was a sweltering hot summer on the 16th of July. A Saturday afternoon. I was out in the Dockyard, readying the ship (_The HMS Dauntless_) to take the new Governor of Port Royal Weatherby Swan and his daughter to the Caribbean. At the time I was not looking for a wife or indeed bothered about falling in love. My career as a Naval Officer had shot up and I was now a newly promoted Lieutenant.

As soon as the Governor and his daughter stepped on board I was immediately struck by Elizabeth's premature beauty. Although she was a young girl of fourteen and I was a man of twenty-one, I could not help but marvel at the fair hand fate had dealt me. For Elizabeth was fair indeed. With long chestnut hair that rested on her back in waves. Her eyes were a bright sparkling blue; almost the colour of the ocean and her face was pale, yet dusted lightly with freckles.

For the rest of the journey I remember not being quite myself. The conversation I held with Elizabeth at the front of deck I can remember as clear as day, although I will not bore you with the details now. I remember her face being filled with youthful innocence and lighting up like a beacon whenever she talked about the ocean. It was an amazing thing to watch.


	3. A Dead Man's Heart

Jack Sparrow? Now there is an interesting character. Aside from what you might think, I in a way am indebted to that man. When I was a young boy of but ten years, I fell into the water whilst aboard my father's ship. It was Jack's father, Captain Teague that saved me from drowning that day.

It's ironic. Saved by father, yet killed by son.

Yes, it was because of Jack that I died aboard the Dutchman that night. Indirectly of course, but nevertheless...

When I was told that I was to lead a search for Jack Sparrow, naturally I accepted. Although not for the reason that you might think. The man who sent me on that search was none other the Lord Cutler Beckett of whom I am sure you have heard of. I hated that man with a fiery unquenchable passion. If anybody knew how to get to Beckett, it would be Jack. I originally planned to make an alliance with Jack. That is until Davy Jones lost his heart.

My career as a Naval Officer was failing and I was desperate to restart it. After all as the saying goes, a desperate man does desperate things. I invented this wild idea that the heart was exactly the kick start my career needed. How foolish I was! Still, when I finally tracked Jack down to the Isle that the heart was buried on I found myself in a difficult situation. Elizabeth, William and Jack all wanted the heart for different things. The alliance that I had previously set out on had been ruined. The only hope I had now was to steal the heart, and then somehow, in secret, give it back to Jack.

But, things never seem to work out the way you want to. As soon as I had found the heart, I ran away somehow taking Davy Jones' crew with me. I let Jack, Elizabeth and William escape. I may have seemed a devious lying cheat that day, but believe me when I say this: A man's will is easily broken. Unfortunately for me, I had dug myself into a hole in which I had no hope of escaping from. For now, I had to play to Beckett's rules, which also meant handing over the heart.

Truly I did not know his intention for wanting the heart. Nor did I know about the murder of Governor Swan, Elizabeth's father, until it was too late.

As I said, I was not in control of my own life any more. I was a loose ship, going in whatever direction the wind and waves took me.


	4. At World's End

At World's End. A fitting title for the last chapter of this memoir.

Soon after, Beckett stationed me aboard the Flying Dutchman. An action which I grievously objected to and yet I had to follow. My life seemingly had gone from bad to worse and often whilst aboard that ship, I wondered if there could have been anything that I could have stopped. The answer that I finally concluded was a resounding no.

However, before my life came to an abrupt end there was one joyous moment, just when all hope seemed to be lost. I saw Elizabeth again. Although the meeting was only brief, I thanked whoever led my life that they granted me this one, albeit bittersweet reunion with the one person I had ever truly loved.

Finally, for the first time in a long while, I let my heart rule my conscience and arguably did the only thing that was right. I let her go. I have never considered myself to be a martyr, but I now know that I died for something I believed in. I died for Elizabeth, for I truly believed in her.

Yes you may laugh or find my story pitiable, but I the end I do not care what anybody may think.

This is simply a memoir of my life. It is neither right nor wrong and most certainly riddled with imperfections. But that is just how I am.

My memoir is now told, and I hope that it served my memory well. I am not looking to be praised, loathed or remembered.

For love is not always just and life is not always fair.


End file.
